Overhaul of TV licence fee collection sought
AN URGENT overhaul of how the BBC collects its licence fee is being called for by Borders MP Michael Moore.
Responding to the BBC Trust's consultation on TV Licensing Mr Moore based his views on the evidence supplied to him by constitutents.
Mr Moore said he has been contacted by a significant number of constituents over the past few months who have been left distressed by the menacing nature of correspondence from TV Licensing.
In some cases, the constituents do not own televisions and have repeatedly invited TV Licensing to visit them to verify this fact. In other cases, the people concerned already own television licences, and are being hounded as a result of duplicate entries in TV Licensing's database.
In his submission, Mr Moore said: "The stated aim of TV Licensing's communication is that it should be 'polite, but firm' and should not contain a 'clear presumption of guilt'. However, I have received complaints from a number of constituents who have been left extremely upset by the letters they receive from TV Licensing – they feel threatened and hounded by the letters they have received, which can accurately be described as intimidating and aggressive."
Mr Moore also expressed anger at TV Licensing's handling of his constituents' complaints.
He continued: "I have not enjoyed satisfactory correspondence with TV Licensing when taking up complaints on behalf of my constituents. Indeed, in one case, I read in the local newspaper the results of an investigation by TV Licensing into the case of one of my constituents weeks before I actually received this in writing from TV Licensing. Of all the organisations I deal with on a regular basis, this sort of behaviour is unprecedented."
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Thursday 17 May 2012
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